Flat block printing machine



March 1936- J. H. CHADWICK ETAL 2,

' FLAT BLOCK PRINTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 24', 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORN EY J. H. CHADWICK El AL 2,03 6,019

March 31, 1936.

FLAT BLOCK PRINTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 24, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR a Y C.

ATTORNEY March 31, 1936. J, CHADWlCK ET AL 7 2 ,936,019

FLAT BLOCK PRINTIJNG MACHINE Filed Nov. 24, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 31, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT orries FLAT BLOCK PRINTING MACHINE Application November 24, 1934, Serial No. 754,606

7 Claims.

This invention relates to block printing machines of the type illustrated in the patent granted on December 25th, 1917, No. 1,251,144, to W. H. Waldron.

In the aforesaid Waldron patent the pan motion drive mechanism for supplying color to the printing blocks is duplicated and located at both ends of the machine on machines exceeding eighteen heads. Such a machine may vary and may reach a considerable length as well as a considerable width. It may run up to thirty-six or more sections to provide the necessary printing heads for the coloring desired. The enlargement of the previous type is costly. In addition, difficulty is sometimes experienced in the failure of the two drives to synchronize and it is essential for the reciprocating movement to be of such a nature as to be as even as possible in order to prevent disturbance of the color in the color pans and to insure proper inking of the printing heads.

In the former types of machine the cross shafts Were passed directly through the worm reducer and in the event of a smashup it was difiicult to remove the long shaft from the reducer. To obviate this difficulty, couplings were subsequently inserted on each side of the reducer. This added to the expense and created the danger of the cams on the opposite ends of the shafts not having exactly the same setting.

One of the objects of our invention is to improve the drive on a flat block printing machine by providing driving means centrally of the ma--' chine thereby reducing the length of the machine in consequence of. the removal of the drive from each end and providing the drive in the center space of the machine which is also utilized for inspection of the ground printing before the top design is put on thereby making the same space serve both for the drive and for the inspection of the goods.

Another object of the invention is to improve the satisfactory working qualities of the machine by dispensing with a dual drive and substituting a single drive thereby assuring absolute synchronization.

Still another object of the invention is an improved drive wherein in the event of breakdowns, replacements can be quickly made and breakage, if any, will occur in connection with simple parts thereby avoiding long shut downs and decreased maintenance costs.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a fiat block printing machine that may be built up in sections and readily enlarged by the simple addition of sections.

Other objects will appear more fully hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings: 5

Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of the center portion of a flat block printing machine embodying the principles of our invention.

Figure 2 is a View in side elevation with parts removed of the center portion of the flat block 10 printing machine embodying the principles of our invention.

Figure 3 is a partial plan view of the center drive and quick removable cam shafts.

As this type of machine has been fully de scribed in the Waldron Patent No. 1,251,144, it is only necessary to describe the improvements embodying the principles of our invention in connection therewith.

The longitudinal side frames l of the machine have upper beams 2 and lower beams 3 spaced apart by columns 4. Wheels 5 carried by frames l are adapted to roll on track 6 to permit movement of the machine from in front of one drying chamber to another. The printing heads I 25 are similar to the Waldron structure and are inked in the customary way by carriages 8 which are reciprocated back and forth when the printing heads are raised by the cam shafts.

In the drive that we have invented the main motor 9 through gearing H), II and chain i2, drives the main drive shaft I3. A heavy worm reducer l4 transmits the drive from shaft l3 to stud I 5 carrying gear l6 meshing with gear I! on cross shaft is. On each end of l8 are drivers [9 each carrying cam rolls 2B. The cam rolls 20 operate in the two slots 2| of the spider 22, the latter being mounted on cross shaft 22'. The drive is the same on both sides. Shaft l8 drives shafts 22 and 29 through a train of four gears 23, 24, 25, 26. Gear 23 is carried by shaft l8 and gears 24, 25, are carried by studs 21, 28, while gear 26 is secured to shaft 29. Shaft l8 drivesv shaft 29 at the. same rate of speed as shaft l8. Shaft 29 carries driver 3!! and cam roller 3|, the latter also operating in one of the slots 2| of spider 22. At the top of spider 22 is a stud 33 connected through link 34 to gear 35. Gear 35 is carried by shaft 36. Gear 35 meshes with a lower stationary rack 31 and at the same 5 time meshes with the movable rack 38 above gear 35. Mounted at each end of shaft 3 are uide blocks 46 operating between guides 41 to maintain gear 35 in its predetermined path between the racks in order to obtain the desired increase in movement of the carriages 8. Movable rack 38 is connected to two slides 39 to which the carriages 8 are secured by pins or in any other well known manner. To the end of link 34 is connected air piston 40 operating in cylinder 4| to assist in stopping without jarring the large weight of the pan sections. By this particular form of drive it is possible to multiply the pan movement by the use of the two racks.

The arrangement of the drive is of considerable importance. The worm reducers l4, 14', etc., are all mounted on the main drive shaft I3 with intervening couplings 42 and a gear drive is utilized from the reducers l4, [4, to the cross shafts l8, l8, 18', etc., as shown by the gears 43,44, 43, 44. The cross drive shafts are arranged with cap bearings 45. With this arrangement in the case of breakdown or trouble on the machine which may require the removal of a cross shaft it is necessary to remove only the two caps 45 from frames I when the entire shaft may be taken out of the machine in one piece without breaking couplings or removing cam through any reducer.

By this arrangement in the case of a jam of the pan motion any breakage in the drive is caused to occur in the cam shafts or gears 43, 44, which have been designed to be readily removed. The cam shafts l8, I8", operate the individual printing head.

In the old type of machine the shafts went right through the side frame, the bushings being set in these frames. The breakdowns generally occurred from the slide sticking on one side of the machine, as the top weight and slides drop by gravity until they are again locked into printing position by the outside plate on the cam. Also trouble sometimes occurs from interference between the pan and the block and when this occurs it generally means a bent or twisted cross shaft and in the case of the old machine an expensive and difiicult form of repair.

The number of cross shafts to operate printing heads is dependent upon the number of sections required for the desired number of colors and obviously as many reducers may be coupled into the main drive shaft l3 as will likewise be required. Such additions are added on both sides of the center drive and require no change in the driving mechanism, but only substitution of longer sliding bars for the carriages 8.

It will thus be seen that we have invented a drive for flat block printing machines wherein the case of breakdown the parts can be readily replaced or repaired thereby reducing the time the machine is out of commission and also reducing the maintenance costs since the cam shafts are more likely to be twisted than the other elements of the drive. Also that economy of space is secured with a better drive that is simpler, less costly to manufacture, cheaper to operate and consuming less power than the dual driving means heretofore used.

What we claim is:

1. In a flat block printing machine, color pans,

bars carrying the pans, means centrally of the machine for multiplying the movement of the pans, said means including a stationary rack and a movable rack above the stationary rack, a gear between said racks and meshing with both of them, means for motivating said gear and bars carrying the pans connected to the movable rack.

2. In a fiat block printing machine, a frame, printing heads, reciprocating pans for inking said printing heads, means for reciprocating said inking pans, said means comprising a sliding bar, means for motivating said bar, said means comprising a movable rack and a stationary rack, a gear meshing with both racks, a link connected to said gear and to a spider, slots in said spider, rolls operating in said slots forming a Geneva motion, said rolls carried by drivers, and means for operating said drivers.

3. In a flat block printing machine, a sectional frame, printing heads carried by each section of said frame, reciprocating carriages for inking said printing heads, sliding bars for motivating said printing pans, connections between said pans and said sliding bars, central means for reciprocating said sliding bars, said means comprising a movable rack and a stationary rack, an intervening gear meshing with both racks, means for rocking said gear and driving means for actuating said rocking means.

4. In a fiat block printing machine, a series of color pans mounted on reciprocating bars, a reciprocating rack connected to said bars, a stationary rack mounted beneath the reciprocating rack, an intervening gear meshing with both racks, means for reciprocating said gear, said means consisting of a link connected to the top of a lever, the bottom of said lever having two open end slots cut radially and on opposite sides of its fulcrum point, rolls operating in said slots from a crank motion, and means for driving said cranks.

5. In a fiat block printing machine, a series of color pans mounted on reciprocating bars, a reciprocating rack connected to said bars centrally of said machine, a stationary rack mounted beneath the reciprocating rack, an intervening gear meshing with both racks, means for reciprocating said gear one-half the movement of the reciprocating rack.

6. In a flat block printing machine, a series of color pans secured to reciprocating bars, a reciprocating rack connected to said bars, a stationary rack mounted beneath said reciprocating rack, an intervening gear for multiplying the movement of the reciprocating rack in combination with a Geneva drive for reciprocating said gear.

'7. In a flat block printing machine, a series of pans, a central drive means for reciprocating said pans, said drive means comprising in combination a plurality of racks with an intervening gear operated by a Geneva action.

JOHN HOWARD CHADWICK. CHARLES C. WILLIS. 

